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Arkansas Adds Big Man

BY
Patrick Pierson April 23, 2015

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas men’s basketball head coach Mike Anderson announced on Thursday that consensus top 70 power forward Ted Kapita of Huntington Prep (W. Va.) has signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to join the Razorbacks in 2015-16.

Kapita – ranked No. 41 in the class of 2015 by 247Sports.com – joins Hickman High School (Columbia, Mo.) guard Jimmy Whitt as the two members of the 2015 class. A native of Congo, the 6-foot-9 Kapita spent his senior season at Huntington Prep after a successful junior campaign at Florida Air Academy.

“We are thrilled that Ted is officially part of our Razorback Family,” said Anderson, who guided Arkansas to 27 wins and the NCAA Tournament third round in 2014-15. “First and foremost, Ted is a person of high character and a great competitor. He plays the game with energy, relentless effort and has a willingness to get better. His physicality and size combined with his ability to step out to the perimeter and also face up makes him a unique talent at his age. He really hit it off with our players and we feel we have added a much-needed piece to our team.”

The top player in the state of West Virginia in the class of 2015 according to ESPN.com, Kapita’s No. 41 overall ranking by 247Sports.com is backed up by being No. 44 on Scout.com’s top 100 and No. 53 by Rivals.com. ESPN.com tabbed Kapita as the No. 69 overall prospect in its final rankings, marking the fifth top 100 player, including the third post, Anderson and the Razorbacks have landed in the last three years.

Prior Huntington Prep, Kapita played his junior season at Florida Air Academy in Melbourne, Fla., where he averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds. Despite missing most of his senior season with a hip injury, Kapita returned to the lineup at the end of the season and played in seven games under head coach Arkell Bruce.

Following his junior year at Florida Air Academy, Kapita burst onto the scene nationally with 36 points and 18 rebounds last August while playing for Pan Africa against the U.S.A. South team at the Nike Global Challenge. Kapita showed all facets of his game, hitting 15-of-22 from the field while blocking four shots.

The No. 55 overall player in the class of 2015 by Rivals.com, Whitt signed his NLI to join the Razorbacks on the first day of the early signing period in November. Whitt closed his high school career at Hickman High School by averaging 30.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.1 steals and 3.9 assists.